Supervision for Clinical and Professional Growth: Expanding Your Impact, Income, and Reach with Ashley D. Stephens, Ph.D., LCSW-S
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Episode Summary: In this episode of The Affirming Minds Podcast, host Shaina Siber sits down with Dr. Ashley Stevens to explore the transformative power of clinical supervision—not only as a tool for elevating clinical care but also as a strategy for burnout prevention and professional growth. Whether you're supervising in private practice, a group setting, or preparing to step into a supervisory role, this episode offers a deeply insightful and practical conversation.
Dr. Ashley Stevens is a Board-Certified Licensed Clinical Social Work Supervisor, currently licensed in nine states and supervising clinicians in five. She brings a unique interdisciplinary lens to her work, having earned her doctoral degree in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from Grand Canyon University, along with a master’s in social work from East Tennessee State University and a bachelor’s in psychology from UNC Chapel Hill.
Ashley’s experience spans Veterans Affairs, private practice, clinical supervision, and executive consulting. Her focus? Training the next generation of clinicians and leaders with a strong emphasis on sustainability, clinical excellence, and designing a career that supports—not depletes—the therapist. She’s on a mission to help social workers not just survive, but thrive.
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Topics Covered:
- The core functions and value of external supervision
- How supervision enhances clinical competency and ethical decision-making
- Supervision as a burnout prevention strategy
- Key considerations when supervising across multiple states and licensure boards
- Best practices for structuring supervision sessions
- Common pitfalls in supervision—and how to avoid them
- Why person-centered, transparent relationships between supervisor and supervisee matter
- The importance of preparing supervisees not just as clinicians, but as leaders
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About Our Guest: Ashley Stephens is a Board Certified Licensed Clinical Social Work Supervisor, licensed in nine states and supervising provisionally licensed clinicians in five. She completed her doctoral degree in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from Grand Canyon University in 2023. She earned her master’s in social work from East Tennessee State University and her bachelor’s in psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
As a therapist, Ashley has worked with severe and persistent mental illness, substance abuse, trauma, homelessness, and has trained in a variety of therapeutic styles. The bulk of her training and experience was with Veterans Affairs, working with combat Veterans. As a consultant and trainer, Ashley has taught courses in cultural awareness and competency, mindfulness, brain injury, and leadership development. She has coached executive leaders, managers, and front-line employees, while providing opportunities for individuals to grow in the areas of organizational development, team building, executive development, and training.
As a supervisor, Ashley’s main goal is to train the next generation of therapists AND leaders, with a particular focus and emphasis on building a life that serves them. The social work profession often has a reputation for being hard to survive and thrive. Ashley’s goal is to help create clinical social workers who are prepared for the realities of the field, and ready to take on growing their own practices into thriving businesses.
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Conflict of Interest Disclosure: The host, Shaina Siber-Sanderowitz, LCSW, is the Founder of Affirm Mental Health, an accredited CE provider. She receives financial compensation from Affirm Mental Health for the development and delivery of continuing education content. There are no other conflicts of interest to disclose.
Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for clinical training or treatment. If you or someone you know needs mental health support, please reach out to a licensed professional.
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